"I’m always aroused when I’m near you." He chuckles. The sound vibrates against his massive chest and sinks into my blood, and it’s strangely comforting and also, a turn on.
"Q…" I open my eyelids and look up into his. "What’s happening between us?"
"Nothing we don’t want to."
"But this… is all wrong." I look between his eyes. "Isn’t it?"
"It’s as wrong as we make it out to be. Or as right."
"You’re Felix’s father."
"I’m aware."
"And I’m his?—"
"Ex-girlfriend."
"Who he almost married."
"Do you love him, Raven?" His gaze grows intent. "Do you?"
I look away, then shake my head.
"Did you ever love him?"
I shake my head again.
"So why did you agree to marry him?"
"I thought I’d save money if I could share a flat with him, enough to take care of my sister and my father—" I blow out a breath. "I know… My reasoning was flawed. I realized that the moment I was more relieved than disappointed that he didn’t turn up for the wedding. But when he proposed…” I shake my head. “At that time, I… I didn’t want to turn him down, because what if no one else found me attractive enough to propose to me again?"
"You agreed to marry him because you were scared of ending up alone?" He scowls.
"People marry for less." I’m sounding defensive, probably because he’s right, but I’m not going to admit it.
"You’re not people." He notches his knuckles under my chin, forcing me to look up into his face. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and you deserve everything. You deserve all your dreams to come true."
I laugh. "You don’t know me."
"I know enough."
"In only a few days?” I scoff.
"I know you’re generous and kind. That you’d sacrifice your happiness if it means you can take care of your family."
"And you’d sacrifice your son’s happiness by marrying me?"
His features close. A hardness creeps into his eyes. I curse myself. Why did I have to say that? But we can’t tip toe around this thing that stands between us. Can we?
I press my palm into his chest for leverage and begin to move away. He winces. I pull my hand away and take in the blood stain on his T-shirt.
Oh no! I was so distracted by the chemistry between us that I forgot how hurt he was. “You should see a doctor."
“I don’t need a doctor,” he says in a dismissive tone.
"You took a lot of hits."
"And I survived," he scoffs.